The Lost Crown Chronicles
by InfiniteCypher
Summary: The threat on the kingdom of Dorian during the great civil war of Jana did not compare to the threat they faced after the war. With rival kingdoms challenging the survival of Dorian, the rulers cannot stand alone. Unlikely alliances must be forged, sacrifices must be made, and conflicts must be won if the rulers of Dorian are to reclaim their lost crown and regain their glory.
1. Rowan - A Devil's Dinner

**The Lost Crown Chronicles**

 **Episode I: The Wrath of Victory**

* * *

Rowan woke up to the sound of flapping wings. Birds, no doubt. They sounded nearby, but the rush in the noises proved that a group had just flown off.

That didn't matter much to Rowan. What was more important to him was his current state. He found himself sitting back against the trunk of a forest tree with rope tied around him and the tree. His arms were trapped under the rope, so there was barely any movement he could make besides with his legs and feet which were free.

He couldn't remember much at all about how he got himself into such a predicament. The back of his head throbbed, so that explained how he was knocked out in the first place.

As if that wasn't the strangest part. Standing back against a tree a few meters away from Rowan was a man he did not recognize. He _couldn't_ recognize him. The man was taller and with a thicker build than Rowan, and he was dressed in all black. He donned a mask under his black hood. The mask did not have any detail on it. It was just a oval-shaped face mask, showing no signs of special significance.

"Who are you?" Rowan asked. He was originally going to ask _Where am I_ but he reckoned that sounded stupid. "Where's Kristoff?"

"Pay no mind to him," the masked man started. His voice was unfamiliar with Rowan, but definitely did not sound natural. It was deep, but had a sort of flanging effect on it, so another voice spoke the same words at the same time. "You are dealing with me now / My patience grows thin."

"What do you want from me?" Rowan inquired. "It's obvious that I won't get anything from you unless you want me to." He was not ignorant enough to keep on prying the masked man.

"I want the truth, please / You know of the Observer / I know I'm correct."

"What about the Observer?" Rowan asked.

"Tell me your story / Why did you look for it / How did this happen?"

"I don't know how _this_ happened." Said Rowan. "You tell me."

The masked man took out a dagger from his belt. "You don't make demands / Tell me what I want to know / From the beginning."

"You think of me as a fool?" Rowan scoffed. "I'm no scholar, but the fact that you went through all of that trouble to tie me up and ask me questions means that you need me alive. Do you think that knife intimidates me?"

"You are a smart man / I do not want to kill you / And I don't plan to." The masked man replied. "Do you not realize / The knife is not for killing / It's an incentive."

"What are you proposing?" Rowan asked.

"Tell me what I want / When you do, I will free you / I suggest you talk." The masked man offered.

"How can I trust you?"

"You cannot trust me / But I'm your only way free / You have no options."

Rowan took a deep breath and breathed out. There was no way he could trust the masked man, nor was there any guarantee he'd be free. But, he wanted to be freed more than anything. His friends were counting on him. The masked man was right when he said Rowan had no options.

"If I talk, will you tell me where Kristoff is and let me go?" Rowan negotiated.

"I do not know where / I can't tell what I don't know / But, I will free you."

"And what then?"

"That really depends."

"On whether or not you trust my story." Rowan assumed. He saw that the masked man slightly nodded.

"Just tell me your full story."

Rowan took a deep breath.

"Fine. It all started not too long ago . . . When Dorian lost the war."

* * *

 **I:1. Rowan - A Devil's Dinner**

"I don't like this."

"When was the last time you liked anything, Garret?" Rowan asked, knowing full well that Garret was always so pessimistic when it came to everything from cards to war.

Rowan practically knew Garret all of his life. Although they were not related by blood, Rowan liked to think that they were brothers. They practically were, in fact. Despite Garret being older than Rowan by three years, as Garret was twenty-three and Rowan was twenty, the two were best friends. They've always been best friends.

The circumstance in which Rowan was able to have a relationship with Garret was lucky. Garret was the eldest son of Lord Cecil Dorian, making him heir to his father's throne of the kingdom of Dorian. That was a lot of pressure for a child, but Rowan Randyll, son of Lord Dorian's personal advisor Sir Roche Randyll, was always there with Garret. For fifteen years, the two have played together, bled together, laughed together, ate together, and were practically inseparable.

Of course, Garret didn't only have Rowan. Rowan knew all of Garret's younger siblings almost as well as he knew Garret himself. The second eldest child in the Dorian family line was Garret's younger brother, Talion. He was always one year older than Rowan but two years younger than Garret, so Rowan estimated Talion to be around twenty-one.

Following Talion was the third eldest, and the eldest daughter, Ari. Rowan couldn't recall the last time he had seen her, but he was sure it was about a year ago. The name of the princess she was to be a personal handmaiden of slipped out of Rowan's mind.

After Ari would be the twins, Calum and Lyra. Just as how Garret and Rowan were the best of friends, Calum and Lyra had a similar relationship, albeit related by blood. The two proved to be the most talented of the children, according to Lord Cecil himself, and that thesis was proven by Rowan's personal interactions with them. He placed them at around fourteen.

The final child of Lord Cecil and Lady Eva Dorian was Eddric. He was not born too long ago, and Rowan knew for a fact that he was seven years old. His interactions with the child were rare as Garret and Rowan were usually always spending time elsewhere in their leisure. It was Calum and Lyra who played and entertained Eddric the most.

All of Garret's siblings treated Rowan as family, and he obliged to the treatment by interacting with them with the same kindness. However, Garret was always his closest friend. There was no denying that. Of course, it was always hard for people to not like the charismatic individual. They all had British accents, but Garret emphasized the most charm in his. No one knew how he did it so well.

Not only was he charming, but he had the qualities of a leader. Rowan knew it all too well. Lord Cecil had raised Garret to become a leader, and not just a leader, but a king. In order for that to happen, he would've needed all of the qualities good kings have and exercise. He was a born leader with stoic and a courageous demeanor. Of course, that meant he was always a tad too serious.

Those qualities were essential to the major plight in the land of Jana. Jana, which Rowan knew to be pronounced as "Yahna," was a large mass of land located in Europe. To its south was the United Kingdoms which was roughly smaller than it, and to its east are other kingdoms connected to the mainland such as Arendelle and the Southern Isles.

Jana was never a unified country. In fact, it was hardly a country at all. There were always four kingdoms occupying it, with each kingdom having its capital on the coast of the landmass. However, the Dorians were not of equal power compared to its counterpart kingdoms. The two kingdoms which were always the power players kingdoms of Tyro and Ryke.

As far back as history could tell, Jana was always divided into four sections, each section ruled by a kingdom, each kingdom ruled by a king. Each kingdom would've been considered "Wardens" of their particular geographical location. The Dorians were the Wardens of the North of Jana, with Tyro to the west, Ryke to the south, and the east belonging to the kingdom of Saren. For generations, Tyro and Ryke have never been allies. The same relationship applies to that of Dorian and Saren. Neither Dorian nor Saren were as powerful as Tyro or Ryke when it came to military strength, and the two made their livings through trade. The north-east of Jana was rich with resources such as minerals and rare tree bark. Both kingdoms made their livings through trade while Saren and Tyro were really good at "persuading" others.

Full fledged war between the four kingdoms of Jana occurred not too long ago if Rowan could remember correctly. It seemed as if he had been serving in the war his entire life.

The king of Syke, Wicken Ryke, decided that the land he owned was not good enough. At least, that's what Lord Cecil told Rowan. So, one by one, Ryke forces attacked and claimed villages belonging to Tyro, working their way closer to the heart of Tyro, Tyro Peak. It didn't take much longer for Tyro to fight back. The war between the south and west Wardens broke out. Tyro enlisted the aid of their closest ally early on, Dorian. Ryke did the same with Saren. However, in doing so, King Cecil Dorian had to give up his name as king and become "Lord" as a sign of allegiance.

It was the Dorian's and Saren's job to supply recourses to their patron kingdoms. However, the two were still obliged to offer military help to which both patron kingdoms used to their advantage. Lord Cecil served as the right hand man of the leader of Tyro, King Michael of Tyro. While serving, Cecil brought Garret to war, believing his son needed military experience. Garret brought Rowan along as it was a no brainer for the two.

As the war went on, King Michael was not oblivious to the fact that he was losing. Too many deaths were taking a toll on his side of the war. Ryke and Saren were too powerful of a pair to defeat. The war in Jana was practically a civil war, so that was what disinterested other countries to interfere. All in all, the policies of the kingdoms were almost the same. It was just the leaders who were different.

It was not at all a popular decision, but it happened regardless of what anyone thought. Two years after the war started, Tyro conceded, and that meant Dorian would also surrender. There was a protest, but there was nothing which could prevent the inevitable.

It was not long after the official declaration of surrender did Garret and Rowan find themselves walking through the guarded hallways of the castle in the capital of the Ryke Kingdom which would soon be the capital of all of Jana.

Garret and Rowan were dressed in elegant tailcoats as they followed their escort who was no doubt a butler of the castle.

"I don't like this." Garret whispered to Rowan.

"When was the last time you liked anything, Garret?" Rowan whispered back. However, Rowan knew exactly where Garret was coming from. It all felt so incredibly odd and definitely not ordinary.

"I'm not sure whether or not you're blind or ignorant." Garret quietly said. "When you win a war, you don't invite your sworn enemies to a dinner party. They say it's a formality, but I say it's just a way to have a knife in our backs more quickly."

Rowan entered the castle cautiously, believing that it was a death trap as well. However, he reckoned if Ryke and Saren wanted them dead, they would've already done so. Unfortunately, that logic did not apply too many times in his life.

Rowan looked forward at the escort who had his back to them. He wasn't sure whether the escort could hear them or not, but he couldn't risk speaking in his normal voice. Luckily, there was enough chatter coming from the room ahead to drown out the sound of Rowan's voice as they walked through the hall with the only door being at the ends.

"I don't like this any more than you do." Rowan agreed. "But we have half an army loitering outside the castle walls. If anything goes sour, it'll be warfare in the streets."

"Not if they're expecting it." Garret pointed out.

"Who is they?"

"Whoever is smart enough." Garret answered.

As they neared the door at the end of the hall, Rowan could hear Garret whisper "I wish Talion was here."

Rowan knew all too well that the brothers did not get along very well at all. While Garret was always playing the leader, Talion was always the lone wolf. Garret always did his duty, while Talion was always doing what his heart told him to do. Undoubtedly, Talion was the more violent one. It was always clear who King Cecil's favorite son was.

Talion and Cecil scarcely saw eye-to-two. Too many times were the castle halls filled with their screaming at each other. Five years prior, Talion crossed the line with his father and one could argue with all of Dorian as well. Prince Talion was disowned, stripped of all of his royal titles, deprived of all of his inheritance, and exiled from the kingdom, never to return unless he is welcomed back. Rowan highly doubted that the King would let Talion back home.

Garret was not too fond of the decision, and Rowan knew that because of all of the eldest son's protests. However, the heir to Dorian learned that certain decisions had to be made, and eventually accepted the fact that he may never see his brother again. The other siblings have yet to forget.

Rowan ceased all thinking of Talion when the escort opened the large, double doors that led into the dining room.

He was surprised to find that the dining room was more or less a small ballroom. There was a very large, rectangular table located in the center of the room, with dozens of chairs. Only about a quarter of the chairs were occupied by men dressed in elegant clothing. On the ceiling hung beautiful, glimmering chandeliers which had large, open spaces surrounded the table between it and the walls. The majority of the men found themselves standing and talking in that open space.

There were four walls out of the room, including the one in which Garret and Rowan entered through. Each had two guards standing beside them, vigilant. The black and orange colors that decorated the Ryke nation were unsurprisingly found on them. Attached to their waists were sheathed swords, and in their hands were spears held upright.

There were quite a few unfamiliar faces to Rowan in the room. He reckoned that they were associated with Ryke and Saren, and perhaps even Tyro. He more or less knew the people involved politically with Dorian.

"Why, look who it is." Said a female voice with the southern British accent people in Saren all had.

Rowan and Garret turned to the direction in which the voice originated, and from the crowd came a beautiful girl in a red dress which matched her physical features. Her brunette hair went to her shoulders with elaborate braids on her head. Her green eyes were looking straight at Garret.

"It's been quite a long time, Garret." The woman said. Rowan would describe her as barely a woman as she looked no older than twenty. Twenty-one perhaps?

"Ah, it's been too hectic lately to catch up, Princess Emily." Garret responded. "Considering your father joined Wicken Ryke in conquering all of Jana."

Rowan then remembered exactly who the woman was. She was none other than Emily Saren of Saren. She was the reason for Talion's banishment. Because of that, not many people in Dorian were quite fond of her, most especially the residents of the castle.

"I assure you, I had nothing to do with the war." Emily argued. The way she spoke was so gentle yet asserting. It would not be hard to believe that she had a way with words. "Garret, why don't we just go back to being friends, or at least acquaintances."

"After the hell you and Talion put us all through, forgive me if I'm having a hard time warming up, _Princess_."

"I'm afraid it's _Lady_ , now." Emily corrected. "Besides, it was five years ago when-"

"When we caught you in Talion's bed?" Garret finished.

"Whatever was between Talion and I is finished now, Garret." Emily quickly rebutted. "We made a mistake."

"And only one had to suffer the consequences." Rowan summed up.

Emily looked annoyed at both Garret and Rowan. Her annoyed expression soon morphed into a smile which was obviously false, but it was still a smile nonetheless. She held her hand out at Rowan, offering it for a shake.

"Don't believe I've ever had the pleasure." Emily said. "Lady Emily Saren."

Rowan obliged to her handshake. "Rowan Randyll. Friend of the Dorians."

Garret didn't let the two continue their small introductions. "Well, Lady Emily, it has been quite the joy catching up with you, but I'm afraid duty calls me elsewhere." And with that, Garret gave a sloppy bow and walked off. Rowan looked toward the direction Garret was walking to find Lord Cecil standing alone, eyes on Garret.

Rowan moved his foot to follow, but Emily's hand pressed against his chest. That was not even the most surprising part, nor the part where she leaned closer to him. She stood on her toes with her mouth next to his ear. The most surprising part was when she whispered "Don't drink the wine. If you value your lives, get out."

The blood in his face drained. He watched as she walked away from him, not looking back. When she disappeared in the crowds of people, only then did Rowan turned to go after Garret.

He wasn't sure whether or not Emily had just confirmed the suspicions he and Garret had. However, it did not bode well at all. If it were just a lie she had whispered in his ear, then it would make zero sense as no one was to gain from it.

Garret and his father were already in conversation by the time Rowan reached the pair. He looked at the king and could see the years nor the war was kind to him. He looked an awful lot like Garret as both had styled, brown hair and blue eyes, but Cecil had a fair amount of grey lines in his hair. The wrinkles on his were rather obvious and emphasized. He looked ten years older than he really was, all in all.

"This does not feel right." Rowan heard Garret say to his father when he reached them.

"And do you think I have not felt it?" Cecil asked.

"Father, we're mice crawling towards a trap except there is no cheese." Garret explained.

"We must keep up appearances." Cecil announced, subtly so that only Garret and Rowan could hear. "I'm the king, and you're my heir. It is expected of us to be here, and I believe they intend to keep us here. Look at the guards, Garret. Have you ever stopped and wondered why they're even here."

"We must remain vigilant, at the least." Garret mumbled.

"As if there was any doubt?" The old king replied.

"My lord," Rowan started, "if I may add a comment to further strengthen Garret's point?"

"I trust you have come with crucial information, then, Rowan." Cecil agreed. Rowan saw that Garret had a confused expression. It was rare for Rowan to know something which Garret did not.

"Lady Emily told - Or rather, _warned_ me to not drink the wine." Rowan revealed with a quite voice. "She then said to leave if we value our lives."

"I had my suspicions." Cecil said, not even showing a change in his expression. It was a king's duty to know when and when not to put himself and others in danger, of course. "So, they expect to poison us?"

"What makes you think Emily was telling the truth, father?" Garret inquired.

"If she was bluffing, all she'd be doing is robbing us from a nice drink." Cecil answered.

"So what do we do, my lord?" Rowan asked.

"This does not change anything." Cecil gloomily stated. "All we can do is play along."

"I thought this party was nothing more than a formality." Rowan recalled out loud.

"It's more than that, Rowan." Cecil corrected. "What is said in that dining table will determine the fates and futures of Tyro, Saren, and most importantly Dorian."

"If it is Wicken Ryke who calls the shots-" Garret started before being interrupted.

"It is not Wicken who I'm afraid of." Cecil muttered.

"Gentlemen!" Called a young man's voice. "Ladies! Of course, most of you are gentlemen. If you consider otherwise, well, I'm not judging." Chuckled the same voice.

Rowan saw the concerned look in his lord's face. The concern showed a sense of worry. He had a feeling that whoever Cecil was afraid of was the one calling for everyone's attention.

"Ah, it's time for you all to stop whispering amongst yourselves," said the same voice, "and come to the dining table. Hurry up, seats may be taken quite quickly. If you prefer to sit on a stool, well, that could be arranged."

"Funny." Rowan heard Garret mutter.

The three reluctantly approached the table along with the crowds of sophisticatedly dressed men attending the party. As they walked, Rowan felt Cecil grab his arm. He then heard the whispers of the lord in his ear.

"If and when things go wrong, I need you to protect Garret. He must live if I cannot. Do you understand me? If they truly do mean to betray us, then you two must go outside. Warn the soldiers. It will be hell in the streets, but that's the price we'll pay and the risk we'll take."

"I . . . I understand, my lord." Acquiesced Rowan.

Rowan got a good look at the announcer when he, Garret, and Rowan took their seats. The three sat on one end of the table, to the right of the man sitting at the very end of the rectangle who was none other than King Michael Tyro. The man's full, black beard hid his frown.

However, Rowan didn't pay too attention on King Michael. His eyes were locked on the man who sat on the opposite end of the table from Michael. The announcer. He couldn't have been any older than his mid twenties. Rowan would assume he was around twenty-five. His grey eyes seemed so emotionless, yet the smirk on his face showed his mischievous nature. His coal black hair was shot yet styled neatly like his facial hair which covered about half of his face but it was not full, as it was only about a centimeter long.

"Ah, thank you." The man sarcastically said. "Your ability of sitting down when instructed is definitely going to help you save lives."

"Where is your father, Alec?" Michael asked the man.

"I'm so sorry, Michael," the man named Alec started, "I don't know who you're talking to."

"Where is your father, _Prince_ Alec?" Michael corrected, obviously annoyed.

Rowan looked around at the people sitting in the rectangular table. All of them looked just as uneasy as Cecil. Either Prince Alec was highly revered or highly feared. He bet that the latter was the most probable explanation.

"Ah, you're talking to me!" Alec chuckled. "Well, my royal father, King Wicken - and it _is_ king now - couldn't join this extravagant event tonight, unfortunately. Fortunately, you all won't be without a host. Unfortunately, your host is none other than me. Fortunately, I'll have you all know that I'm a fair person. Unfortunately, some of you may not be willing to . . . Submit as easily. Fortunately, I'm a patient person. Isn't it a strange old we live in? Full of positives and negatives to every single thing."

"I demand to see Wicken Ryke, Alec." Michael said loudly, pounding his fist on the table.

When he said that, and in the blink of an eye, Alec pulled out a dagger sheathed to his side and dug it into the wooden table. Everyone was surely startled, and Rowan swore that the people who sat closest to Alec scooted away. He noticed how even Lady Emily, whose family fought on Alec's side, was unsettled.

"Oh, I apologize." Alec said calmly. "I just thought all of us were being rude." He then let out what seemed like a gentle chuckle. "Wasn't that funny?" He asked to no one in particular. His friendly demeanor turned hostile, or at least, more hostile than it already was. Some people had the obligation to laugh along half-heartedly.

"Anyway," Alec continued, "you're in no position to make demands now, are you Michael?"

Lord Michael stayed silent, showing a false stoic demeanor. Small drops of sweat ran down his forehead.

"I asked you a question." Asserted Alec.

"I . . . Apologize, _Prince_ Alec." Michael reluctantly said.

"Apology accepted." Alec said quite easily. "Now, we shan't discuss politics on empty stomachs. "Tom!"

Rowan didn't even notice that there was a special guard in the room. Dressed in much more elegant armor with a red cape that drooped down onto the ground, the man Rowan assumed to be called Tom approached the chair in which Alec was sitting in. He had his helmet held at his side. What Rowan found interesting was that Tom had similar facial features to Alec. As far as he knew, Alec Ryke was Wicken Ryke's only son.

"Ah, punctual as always, aren't you Tom?" Alec complimented, although Tom seemed unfazed. "My deepest apologies to you all." Alec said to the table. "This here is Tom, my father's bastard son, making him my half brother. Say hello to the nice people, brother."

Before Tom could open his mouth, Alec continued. "Good. Now that we're all acquitted, Tom, would you kindly go get the chefs. We have a treat for these people, now, don't we?"

Without a word, Tom nodded and exited the room while it was still in silence. Alec retained a smug smile throughout. Rowan would've been clenching his hand over his sword, only to remember that the Ryke guards made sure no one entered with a weapon. They were like pigs awaiting slaughter.

"Now, onto business." Alec said, clapping his hands together. "As previously stated, Ryke and Saren have won the little scuffle you all call a war. I, on the other had, call it a bump on the road. Thank you, Lord Saren, for assisting us."

"It was my pleasure." Said Lord Alastair Saren. He sat next to his daughter, Emily, but they looked nothing alike. He was old, perhaps a decade older than Lord Cecil if Rowan had to guess. His hair was white, his figure thick and pudgy, his face matching his body but with wrinkles. The only likeness he shared with his daughter were his green eyes, although Emily's eyes were much brighter. Rowan noticed hoe Emily looked down at the table, perhaps with shame.

"Of course, now it is time to see what is to be done with Tyro and Dorian." Alec continued. He grabbed his dagger and pulled it out of the wooden table, examining the blade as he spoke. "I could destroy both and reduce them to rubble, but that would just be . . . Unwise."

"What are your thoughts then?" Michael asked.

Even though Michael obviously asked Alec, the men who were not royalty spoke up. They were mostly generals and other politicians, so of course they had little say in any matters, however, they were the ones who thought they could speak for their rulers.

Rowan saw how Alec was getting irritated by the chatter. His eyes were closed, but the twitching of his face was what gave the irritation away. It didn't take long for Alec to get so annoyed he took action. He used his dagger to jab it into the throat of the man closest to him. As blood rushed from out of the wound in his neck, the chattering people silenced in fear. Rowan wasn't sure what side the man was on, but apparently, it didn't matter.

"Thank you for your attention." Alec said, pulling his dagger out of the man's throat. The corpse fell face first, limp against the table. Alec wiped the blood on his dagger off on the dead man's clothes. The prince ignored the splatter of blood on his face. "You see, I don't like raising my voice." Alec explained. "Some ways are just more . . . Effective." He then patted the back of the corpse. "It wasn't his fault, really, but no matter. I don't want to see anyone open their mouths unless I'm talking to them. If you have something to say, be civilized. Raise your hand."

After a chuckle, the prince continued with his edict. "We here at Ryke do not wish to see Tyro or Dorian in ashes. Dorian least of all. I'm rather sympathetic towards poor Cecil. We all know your choice was all but fair. So, I will give Dorian a chance to defend itself. In one sentence, Cecil, please explain to me why Dorian should be spared from destruction, or at least, our dictatorship."

"We have natural resources," Cecil started without hesitation, "and our means of obtaining them are more practical, safer, and with a greater abundance of the item than Saren will ever have."

Alastair began to speak out. "That's a lie and-"

Alec threw his dagger down onto the table in front of Alastair and Emily from where he was sitting. That caused Emily to gasp and Lord Saren to shut his mouth.

"What did I just say, Alastair." Alec asked. He then looked at the corpse which was still on the table, bleeding. "Do you want to end up like Mr. Sore-throat over here?"

Alastair Saren grunted silently, and looked down at the table, pretending to ignore Alec.

"Please continue, Cecil." Alec said.

"We produce the finest steel weapons Jana and perhaps the world has ever known." Cecil continued. "Our wood is strong, and our craftsmen could make it so the wood could suit any need for centuries. Not only that, but our gold mines are still abundant. If you are without Dorian, you will never gain access to the quality of materials we possess."

"And what of you, Alastair?" Alec asked. "What differentiates you from them?"

Lord Saren started. "Saren has been a loyal ally to Ryke, and-"

"And how many shits do you think I give about your so-called _loyalty_ , Alastair?" Alec asked. "Saren is useless to Ryke if you have no practical contributions. Now, Alastair, look me in the eye and tell me what Saren can offer, or at least do better, compared to Dorian. Please, don't lie to me." He rubbed the blade of his dagger with his fingers. "That would be most . . . Unfortunate."

Rage filled Lord Saren's face red. "Your father would not-"

"Father, please!" Pleaded Lady Emily who put her hand on her father's shoulder. That was enough to keep the Lord from talking.

"Smart girl." Alec complimented. "Lovely girl. Your daughter, I presume."

Lord Saren nodded.

"The apple fell very far from the tree, apparently." Laughed Alec. "I told a joke." He informed the rest of the table. "It is customary and polite to laugh."

Of course, reluctant laughs followed. Alec Ryke truly did have everyone under his thumb.

"My Lady," Alec started, "please answer the question your father rudely tried to avoid. What can Saren offer Ryke?"

"It is true when Lord Cecil says that Dorian has a stronger hand in trade as well as a talent in crafting." Emily admitted. "And I admit that Saren does not compare to Dorian when it comes to those aspects. What we do have is what we have over Dorian is military numbers, although our army is quite small. That may be the best we can offer Ryke, my prince."

"Bravo." Alec said. "Your father must learn to follow your example for often, my lady. I know it may be rude of me to ask, my lady, but are you married to any lucky man?"

"No, my prince." Emily answered gloomily.

"So neither one of us is spoken for." Alec said. "I've been looking for a wife, but, I must say, having your father as my father-in-law sounds very . . . Unattractive. What about you, Lord Cecil? I hear you have daughters of your own."

"Two, my prince." Cecil answered. "I'm afraid, however, that my eldest daughter is away to serve the princess of Arendelle. My youngest daughter is merely fourteen years old."

"What a shame." Alec said. If he was interested in Emily at all, Rowan believed that the interest had gone away as he no longer expressed it. "Let's get back on track, shall we? Now, I have an edict. Dorian shall continue to thrive, alongside Saren of course, as long as both submit to Ryke as their Warden Kingdom."

"And what of Tyro?" Lord Michael asked. "What of my kingdom?"

"Tyro will also continue to function." Alec assured. "We're not barbarians. I'm smart enough to know when to squeeze practical uses out of otherwise doomed kingdoms."

Michael started again. "What power do you-"

"The power granted to me by my father, King Wicken Ryke." Alec interrupted with sharp eyes and a sharp voice. "He has discussed the benefits he wanted from your kingdoms with me prior to our meeting." From his pocket, Alec pulled out a folded paper and opened it up. "Here is the formal manuscript which details the terms I have discussed with my father, meaning the terms I discussed with you all. Four signatures are needed. One signature is already on there. Can any of you guess whose signature is still required?"

After he said that, the doors far behind Alec opened, and in came various servers, all with platters concealed by the metal top. Each platter was rather small, definitely not large enough to hold a plate or bowl of food. However, it was skinny and long upright. They were all the same, and Rowan guessed that that meant they had the same item in it.

"Ah!" Alec clapped his hands with the paper still in it. "Sustenance has arrived!"

The servers put the mysterious platters on the table, with one in front of every person, regardless of their political role. Of course, the corpse next to Alec did not have a platter in front of him.

"I hope you enjoy what we've prepared for you." Alec announced. "Truly, I do."

The servants then all pulled off the top of the platter on each platter to reveal a clear glass of dark red wine. Rowan looked down at the glass with cautious eyes. He looked across the table to find that every glass was identical to his. _Don't drink the wine_ , he recalled.

Rowan gave an uneasy look at Garret. He acknowledged it with a slight nod, and then looked over at his father. Cecil had his eyes fixed on Alec.

"Before we all drink," Alec announced, "let's finish with business before we get into pleasure. Of course, if you're like me, you'll see both as one and the same!"

Alec walked over to the other side of the table opposite to him and stood next to the sitting Lord Michael. Alec lay the paper flat in front of the lord, moving the glass of wine as well.

"By all means." Alec said. "We mustn't delay."

"I . . ." Michael started. "I'm afraid I am without a writing utensil."

"Ah, don't fret." Alec assured. He then walked back over to the deceased man whose blood was still spilling out onto the table. "Mind if I borrow a little more blood?" Alec asked the man. "Of course not." He then stabbed his dagger onto the back of the corpse and pulled it out. The entire blade was covered in red. Following that, he walked back to Michael with blood dripping from the blade.

"It's not necessarily a pen, mind you, but it should suffice." Alec said.

Rowan knew Michael had no say in the matter. Reluctantly, Lord Michael took the dagger away from Alec who smiled when Michael signed his signature with the bloody tip of the dagger.

"Excellent!" Alec exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Now, it goes onto you, my good Lord Cecil." Rudely, Alec grabbed the dagger and paper away from Michael Tyro who did not seem at all upset to have them taken away.

Rowan noticed that Garret was trying his best to look away from Alec, his father, the dagger, and the paper. It was as if the combination of the four brought him shame. Rowan, for one, couldn't blame him.

Cecil signed it with a slight annoyance in his face. It was much quicker than Michael's signature so it was clear that Lord Cecil wanted to get it over with as soon as possible.

"Beautiful." Alec complimented as he passed on the dagger and paper onto Lord Saren who signed it impassively. Immediately after the signing, Alec grabbed the dagger and the paper away, and with a quick hand movement, it was in his pocket. The dagger, however, still remained in the sight of everyone, making Rowan rather nervous.

"Now!" Alec said, standing next to Michael once again, with his hand on his shoulder. "Formal business is done and dealt with. What do you say we have a toast?"

Michael held the wine in his hand, stirring the drink in the glass with the use of his wrist.

"What for?" Michael asked.

"I'm thrilled you asked that." Alec said. "To peace, of course. Actually, on second thought . . . No, not peace. I fear I've been far too humble this evening. To me! To my father! To Ryke! A toast for Ryke!"

"For Ryke." Everyone sitting around the table said at once, although half-heartedly.

Rowan eyed the table before he brought the glass to his lips. He noticed how only half of the people in the table were sipping from their cups, and he noted how the drinking half were all on the half of the table reserved for those from Dorian and Tyro. The only people who weren't drinking were himself, Garret, Lord Cecil, Lord Michael, and small handful of other men who seemed just as suspicious. Not a single person on the other half of the table drank.

"Will you not drink?" Alec asked Michael. "It is polite to accept the hospitality I'm providing is it not?"

"I . . ." Michael started. "I'd rather not, if that's fine by you."

"Nonsense, Michael!" Alec said. His expression seemed happy, but his demeanor was still intimidating. "Scared of a little wine, are you?"

There was no response. Alec's smirk faded from his face.

"I see." Alec said. "There is no trouble, truly, there's not."

Everyone, including the men who drank, eyed Alec as he wiped the blood of the dagger in his hand.

"Tell me, Michael, how good are you at paying attention?" Alec inquired. "Because from my observations, your ability is atrocious."

Michael spoke out. "I don't see how that-"

Alec then stabbed Michael through the chest with his dagger. It all happened so quickly for Rowan. First, he heard the outrage. Next, he heard the choking and coughing.

Cecil was about to stand, but Alec pulled the dagger out of Michael's chest and pointed it at Cecil. "Ah ah ah." Alec warned.

Rowan and Garret sat in their seats, petrified at what was happening around the men who apparently fought for Tyro and Dorian were choking and coughing up blood which splattered onto the table. Save for a few men on the choking side and all the men on the side representing Saren and Ryke, people were dying.

"What . . ." Michael said, coughing up blood. "What is . . . This?!" He put his hands over his chest and applied pressure, no doubt hoping it would stop the bleeding. "You said-"

"This is where the attention bit comes into play." Alec said. "I never said I needed you, King Michael. Nor did I say I needed Cecil or Alastair. All I needed was the loyalty of the kingdoms Saren, Tyro, and Dorian. Alastair will prove no problem. You on the other hand are more trouble than you're worth."

He then stabbed Lord Michael through the gut, making a bigger cough of blood gush out of his mouth. "It could've been easy, you know." Alec lectured. "You drink the wine, and your death wouldn't be as painful. Not that it _wouldn't_ have been painful, mind you. It mattered not. This just made it more fun for me."

Rowan could see that Michael was losing his grip on life, and he could see that Alec saw that too. Alec gently patted Michael's cheek to keep him conscious.

"I could care less who rules Tyro from now on." Alec continued. "As long as it's not you and as long as they submit."

Alec then pushed Michael off of his chair and into the floor where a pool of blood was collected under him. The prince then turned around to find a good number of people with their heads flat on the table with blood under their faces an over the wood.

"Hm." Alec said. "I would've thought this would've all been messier. Now, to all of you lucky survivors who fought for Tyro and Dorian, I offer you a choice. The wine or the blade?"

 **The Chronicles will continue**

* * *

Author's Note:

So it begins. The Lost Crown Chronicles has finally started. Where one conflict ends, another begins.

The Lost Crown Chronicles is based off of the video game _Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series_. However, the story will differentiate drastically from the game, with only certain plot points along with characters being inspired by the game. Although the first chapter may not seem like it, this is definitely a Frozen related story. Although it does not serve as a direct sequel to the film, it takes place in the same universe. Characters from the film will definitely interact with original characters from the story, and every POV character will interact with a different person from the film. However, this is Game of Thrones inspired as much as Frozen inspired, so be careful when getting too attached to a character. You won't know when they're on the chopping block, unless of course, you've played the game.

The story shall be written in third-person limited with the point of view switching every chapter to another character, although some exceptions may apply, including the next chapter which will be another Rowan chapter. The entire story will be split into multiple "Episodes" which all contain a good amount of chapters with a variety of POVs. This is the first episode, and I'm thinking it may be the longest. All episodes will be contained under the same story (this one).

Thank you for reading, and please leave a review/comment to let me know what you think as well as letting me know how I can improve. Not only that, but please, make some predictions as to what will happen next. Chapters will most likely be weekly, although that may be extended at some points. Check every Saturday or Sunday for new chapters, and whenever I finish a chapter early, please check on Wednesdays. So, new chapter uploads will be every Saturday or Sunday for sure, but make sure you check on Wednesdays to see if I've released something. (Uploads will be in the afternoon, around six o'clock U.S. Pacific Time)

To make sure I meet the upload expectation, chapters may be cut short to around three thousand words, so don't think they'll ever be as long as this chapter.

Again, thank you for reading. Ciao.


	2. Rowan - Forever Through The Storm

**I:2. Rowan - Forever Through The Storm**

* * *

"And then what happened / Michael was killed by Alec / What of the others?" The masked man asked.

"We took a hit." Rowan muttered, gloomily. He remembered the night very well. How could he forget? It was the night all things went to hell, and Alec was the devil. "A lot of good men died."

* * *

"This is madness!" Cecil exclaimed, standing up from his chair. The sound of guards readying their weapons. Rowan noticed how he tried to reach for his own, only to find that there were none. The guards had confiscated all weapons for a reason.

"Calm down, Cecil." Alec ordered. "Your death won't be as gruesome, unless of course, you'd like it to. As a host, I find it polite to have you choose how you die."

"If I may, my prince," Alastair Saren started. "I would like the privilege to personally kill the good lord, here."

"You may, assuming Cecil wants to get stabbed." Alec agreed. "All of you get the same choice as well." He said, pointing at the men representing Tyro and Dorian.

Rowan was thinking in his head what Alec's plan was exactly. Lord Michael Tyro had no legitimate children, so therefore, he had no heirs. The signing of the parchment meant that Tyro's new warden kingdom was Ryke, so it was Ryke's duty to appoint a new ruler of Tyro, and most definitely one who would not give them any trouble.

Dorian was a trickier case. Cecil had many heirs, so Rowan did not understand exactly how Ryke planned on having Dorian under its thumb. If Cecil were to be murdered, then Garret would be the monarch. However, seeing as how Garret was in the same boat as everyone else representing Dorian and Tyro in the room, his chances of living were slim. Following Garret would be Talion, but Talion had practically lost legitimacy. If not Talion, it would be Ari, but she was preoccupied with a job across the seas.

It would fall onto young Calum who is yet a grown man. Rowan reckoned that Alec's plan all along was to have Calum as a lord. Younger leaders have proven to be weaker. So, Ryke would be in control over two lapdog lords and a weak one. There would be no threat to them at all.

"The men." Rowan heard Garret whisper.

Of course, Rowan thought. A good number of the military forces of Tyro and Dorian were just outside the castle, spread out around the city. Granted, Ryke and Saren forces were no doubt alongside them. If the men were to be warned, the streets would be flooded in blood.

"You think of me as deaf?" Alec questioned, looking at Garret with a friendly, yet intimidating look. The strange combination proved to be Alec's demeanor. Playful, yet very sour.

"I'm sorry, my prince." Garret apologized. Rowan noticed how helpless Garret seemed. Both Garret and Alec were around the same age, and Alec definitely had a smaller build, but it was obvious who was more powerful at the moment. "I did not mean to insult."

"No offense taken, my friend. However, that was not the point of my statement. You think warning your men will do them any good?" Alec asked. "Everyone, please, silence for a second. Listen."

There were no windows in the room, so they couldn't observe what was happening outside visually. However, Alec did get his point through by telling everyone to listen. Rowan definitely heard it, and anyone who didn't was either delusional or deaf.

The sounds of men yelling raged outside. The faint sound of clashing swords were heard alongside the men. Battle, Rowan thought. There was nothing else it could've been. The Ryke and Saren soldiers were told to execute the Dorian and Tyro soldiers from the very start. A weak army, or even a nonexistent army, led to a weak kingdom.

"Out there," Alec started, "brutality is far worse than what it is in here. The offer of something cleaner still stands."

Rowan then realized what was going to happen next. It wasn't the obvious, which was death. He saw that Cecil looked around the table, making brief eye contact with all of his living allies. He held his gaze on Garret for the longest, and the look of conviction was all that Rowan could read from it. Finally, Cecil looked at Rowan, who was still oblivious as to what was going to happen.

"Hello, Cecil! Alec called. "Are you going to give me an answer, or are you going to keep looking at everyone here?"

Luckily for Cecil, Alec was not right next to him, therefore, things were very much less intimidating. It was obvious that Alec would've been thrilled with the death no matter how Cecil and the others died, but since he demonstrated his psychotic behavior, then it could safely be assumed that Alec would like the blade ending.

"I think I'll take my chances." Cecil told Alec.

It took Rowan a good few seconds to fully realize what exactly was happening around him. The sound of chairs being pushed back was the most sudden thing he realized. The next thing was Garret standing up right next to him. Even though all of the surviving allies stood up as well, Rowan saw that Garret had the most significance. With no idea what to do, Rowan stood up as well.

"So that's how you all want this to play out?" Alec said. "That's fine with me. I really wanted to stay to see the blood spill from your throats, but I've other matters to attend to. Guards and allies alike, please by all means . . . Kill them."

Alec turned to walked away as violence broke out. The few remaining of the now deceased Michael's allies went around the table and prepared to fight the rival officials unarmed. Luckily for them, the opposing side was unarmed as well. Unluckily for them, the guards were all armed, and the guards were not friendly.

Rowan watched as Lady Emily stood up from her seat and walked away from the table, with her head pointed down. An upset Alastair Saren followed her, turning back at Cecil once last time with an antagonizing glare.

Rowan stood next to Garret as they watched Lord Cecil face an approaching guard. Luckily, there weren't too many of them, and most of the guards were busy focusing on the other men. The guard jabbed at Cecil who stepped to the side. He then grabbed the spear the guard was holding no yanked it away. With the butt of it, he smacked the guard in the head, knocking him out.

By that time, Alec had already left the room, even thought he could surely hear the conflict. The prince must've been very confident if he believed that it would be all too easy to kill everyone against him. Rowan reckoned that the prince would have to be left to deal with in another time. What mattered most at that moment was survival, and their odds of surviving were low.

Cecil fought a speared guard, however, it was not much of a fight. Rowan was not paying enough attention with enough scrutiny, so he missed the details of the fight, but he saw that Cecil clearly won when he jabbed the blade into the guard's abdomen. Two of the few guards were out of the picture, and the others were too busy dealing with the men fist-fighting.

It was the perfect time for Rowan, Garret, and Cecil to escape.

Cecil grabbed the spear of the deceased guard and tossed it to Garret who caught it without flinching. The two have been in battle together too many times for them to be uninitiated in working together as a team. Rowan has occasionally joined them in a few fights, but not nearly enough to know how the two worked as a body.

"We must go." Cecil told Garret. He then stormed towards an unguarded door. Rowan realized that that door was the one they entered from. It may not have been the closest exit, but it was the only one they knew well.

"But Father," Garret argued as he went after him, "what of the others."

Rowan turned to find a few surviving men being stabbed in the back. The guards who were slaughtering the men were too focused on the bloodshed that they didn't seem to see Rowan and the Dorians.

"They are not the priority." Cecil said. "The war may have ended, but the battles have not. This is a battle that we must survive for the sake of Dorian. We must make it home."

Cecil kicked down the doors to find the long hallway empty. Without a delay, he ran down, and Rowan and Garret were forced to follow. Only then did Rowan realize that he was unarmed. If he were to enter combat, he was undoubtedly reliant on his friend and lord.

"Father!" Garret said. "We can't let them die!"

"They know as well as I that we must return to Dorian alive." Cecil replied. "So long as there is a Dorian to rule, our kingdom will not fall. I intend there to be as many to protect it from the likes of Alec Ryke."

"I must agree with your father, Garret." Rowan admitted. Everything Cecil said was true. Dorian needed a strong leader, and not the boy it was originally going to end up with if Garret and Cecil died. "You are needed in Dorian."

Rowan turned his head to look out the window, and what he saw awed him. Not that he was amazed at what he saw, but rather, he was surprised at how bad things have gone so quickly.

Some of the wooden buildings that made up for dwellings and stores in the city were on fire. Black smoke rose from the flames into the night sky. Men everywhere were fighting with swords, spears, axes, and anything that could be used to kill people. That was what Rowan could observe, at least.

The castle of Ryke was separated from the rest of the city with a moat but connected through a stone bridge. There was no clearing between the castles and wooden buildings, so the rest of the city was right next to the castle with no other separations.

"Stop, father!" Garret called, stopping his running. Rowan opted to follow Garret's example. He saw how reluctantly the lord stopped and turned with a concerned look on his face.

"There can be no convincing, Garret!" Lord Dorian argued. "There is nothing we can do."

"I understand that, father," Garret said, "but that's not why I stopped you. If we keep going through the castle, how big to you think our chances of surviving are? There are no doubt many guards left in the castle, and even we won't be able to take them all down at once."

"What are you proposing, then?" Cecil asked.

Garret turned to face the window. "There's a moat surrounding the castle. We're not too far from the water."

"Are you really suggesting we go for a dive?" Rowan asked. "That's bloody ridiculous."

"Aye." Cecil agreed. "But I'm afraid Garret is right, Rowan. It may be our best route of escape."

"Fine." Rowan submitted. "We jump out, and then what?"

"Ryke is sure to have horses around." Garret informed. "We need horses, and then we'll speed out of here."

"And leave the military forces behind?" Rowan asked.

"We have no choice." Cecil said. "We'll die along with them if we fight with them."

"I don't like it anymore than you do, Rowan." Garret said. "Hell, I'd rather lay down my life for a single one of our men. But, we're needed elsewhere."

"This is a fight we cannot win." Cecil said as he broke the window in the hallway with his spear.

Rowan watched as he stuck his head out and looked down into the moat. Before he knew it, Cecil jumped out of the window, spear in hand. Rowan and Garret both witnessed the splash into the moat, and after a few seconds, Cecil's head resurfaced from the water.

"I would've thought that I would be the first to jump." Garret muttered.

"Now I see where Talion gets his quick-action trait." Rowan joked.

"Would you like to go next?" Garret asked. "I just want to make sure you're not afraid of getting wet."

"Thanks for the offer." Rowan said. Without a second thought, he jumped out of the broken window, plummeting down into the water. The feeling of sinking came with him the entire fall, but he was relieved of it once he splashed down into the water.

When his head resurfaced, Cecil was already climbing up from the moat. The walls surrounding the moat were made by stones, and I between each stone was an indent large enough to support fingers and the tip of toes. Rowan was not particularly looking forward to climbing. He was not the best at using his hands that carefully.

"Hope you're a better climber than swimmer." Cecil laughed back to Rowan.

As Rowan started his climb, he heard the splash of Garret behind him. He tried his best to ignore it and focus on climbing. One hand at a time, one foot at a time, Rowan climbed up the wall. In actuality, it wasn't a wall, but to them, it was. It was roughly only ten feet tall from the water, but to Rowan, it seemed so much longer.

Eventually, Rowan finished, and he joined Cecil on the top of it. He just noticed that Cecil had climbed the wall with a spear in hand. That was remarkable for Rowan, but he had no idea how Cecil achieved it. He was too busy paying attention to his own trouble to notice.

They stood near a building on fire. Everywhere they looked were peasants running, some with children. Men wearing different colors representing different kingdoms were fighting each other, slaughtering each other. No one paid much attention to Cecil and the others, so at least they wouldn't have hordes of men coming towards them.

"We must pray Dorian will never suffer such destruction." Cecil told Rowan.

"Ryke won the war." Rowan said. "But this is still happening to them."

"Men will walk the ends of the earth and shoot a corpse to make certain of their victory." Cecil stated. "Even if losing an arm means winning, some will take the trade."

Rowan turned when he heard grunting noises behind him. He then held out his hand to help Garret up from climbing the stones.

As Rowan pulled his friend up, the doors of the castle from the opposite end of the stone bridge connecting the castle and the city slammed open loudly. Marching out of it was none other than Tom, the bastard son of the new King Wicken Ryke and the half brother of Alec Ryke. He was dressed in the same elegant armor in which Rowan last saw him.

Following Tom from out of the door way were a small number of castle guards, there being about ten of them. Rowan just noticed how castle guards and city soldiers of Ryke differed in clothing. Both types fashioned black and orange clothing, but castle guards wore decorated chest plates while their counterparts wore thick armor. It was practicality against aesthetic views.

"Oh shit." Rowan muttered when he caught sight of Tom. At that point, Garret was already on his feet.

"Oh, this escape just improves every second, doesn't it." Garret joked.

"Joking in the face of death?" Cecil asked his son. "Talion would be proud."

"So our choices in dealing with them," Rowan started, "are either fighting or running."

"And we survive in only one of those options." Cecil said. "Run."

The three then charged away from the castle, aiming towards the nearest street into the city. Loud sounds of men fighting with steel weapons rang across the entire city, from every street. Occasionally, single shots of gunfire could be heard. Blazing fires lit up the night with the smoke fading in the sky.

Rowan spotted a horse tied to a lamppost far ahead in the street they were facing. The rider must've been off fighting and shedding blood for one side or the other. It didn't matter. There was a horse, and at least one person was going to make it out of the city. He reckoned that Cecil would force Garret to leave, as Garret was the best lifeline for the kingdom.

"There!" Rowan announced. He pointed at the horse, and Garret nodded while running next to him.

The next thing they knew, a sound of agony came from Cecil's mouth. Rowan and Garret turned to find Cecil on one knee at the foot of the street, his hands clutching his back calf. Sticking from it was an arrow.

Rowan looked behind Cecil to find Tom marching towards the pair with a crossbow in his hands. Tom's guards walked a few paces behind, but they were definitely there to aid in case walk turns to run for their leader. Rowan could always tell when a man wanted to do things himself, albeit with safety.

"Father!" Garret cried as he kneeled down next to Cecil. "Can you walk?"

Garret helped Cecil up from the ground, putting his arm around his shoulders to support the lord. Rowan bent down to pick up the spear Garret dropped as they needed a defender. Cecil still had his own weapon in his hands, but his current state definitely crippled his fighting ability.

"They're getting closer!" Rowan said as he went around his superiors, facing Tom and his small army who were around twenty yards away. Rowan knew very well that there was no way he could've taken on Tom, much less the entire group of men backing him. He at least wished to buy his friends some time, because if anyone was going down that day, it best be Rowan.

"Rowan, no." Garret said. "I need your help in bringing father to the horse. We'll move faster together."

"I can buy you some time." Rowan argued. "Just let me-"

"Out of the question!" Garret barked. "Help me, Rowan."

Reluctantly with spear still in hand, Rowan turned to help support the other side of Lord Cecil who was breathing heavily, obviously in pain. A calf wound was not fatal at least, so he was in no real danger. The only danger they were in, however, was imminent.

There was no way for Rowan to predict Garret's rash and borderline idiot action. The son of the great lord grabbed the spear from his father's hand and let go of his father, leaving Rowan to carry Cecil alone.

"What the hell are you doing?" Rowan asked, looking back at Garret while still helping the lord towards the horse in the battle heavy street.

"Saving your lives." Garret responded, facing Tom who was nearing them with a loaded crossbow in hand.

"I cannot let you do this!" Rowan argued, still half-dragging Cecil. No matter how much he wanted to stop and help Garret, he couldn't stop walking Cecil. It was now his responsibility to keep the lord alive.

"Son," Cecil called out, gritting his teeth due to the pain, "better you than I to lead our kingdom. I'll stay behind. I cannot lose you . . ."

"And I can't lose you." Garret said, ignoring everyone else's please. "Rowan, make sure you both get home safe."

"What about you?" Rowan called back, nearing the horse.

"Don't worry about me! Forever through the storm!" Garret said as he charged towards Tom with his spear ready.

It seemed that Garret's last words would be the motto of Dorian.

Dishonoring the last wishes of a dead man was not the last form of interaction Rowan wanted to have with Garret. As he half dragged Lord Cecil to the horse, he turned his head quickly to see how Garret fared in his fight, yet it was reluctant, because he knew that it would be a slaughter.

Garret jabbed at Tom with his spear, but it was too off-center. The blade of the spear slid at the side of the armor Tom had on, so he was not stabbed. However, blood trickled from the slash in his abdomen.

Rowan turned away, believing that they were almost at the horse. At the corner of his eye, a stray fighter on the street approached Rowan. Luckily for Rowan, he saw it coming, and the man had a sword, so Rowan had the advantage of reach. As the man raised his sword upward to slash down on Rowan, he used his spear and to jab the blade in the man's chest, killing him instantly. It took a bit of force, but he managed to pull his spear free.

One more glance backward is what Rowan willed himself to do. He watched with horror as Garret was thrown against the side of a building on fire. Rowan didn't even notice that they had passed a burning building. The spear Garret had was broken in half, and Tom's weapons were on the ground next to it.

Tom grabbed Garret by the shoulders and slammed him against the fiery wall too many times to count. For every slam, Tom punched him in the face. The fist of the glorified guard was armored, and his knuckles were somewhat sharp. Garret's face soon become a bloody mess, his eyes closed. Finally, when Garret's eyes were closed, Tom pulled an arrow from his quiver and stabbed Garret's thigh with it. There was no scream of pain, at least.

Tom then dragged Garret to the window of the house on fire and threw him into it. Garret's body crashed through the glass and fell inside where Rowan could no longer see.

What happened next was far too quick for any rational thinking to be involved. All Rowan could focus on was the rage. In a blur, he gently let go of Cecil and sprinted towards Tom with spear in hand. Tom was too busy sticking his head through the window to presumably check on Garret's body.

Rowan could hear the warnings from Tom's fellow guards, but it was too late for the bastard son of Wicken Ryke to react. Rowan stuck his spear through the throat of Tom, and let go of it. Instinctively after that, Rowan ran away through the chaos of the streets, back to where he was.

He knew very well that Tom's fellow guards would be after him. He was smart enough to run through the middle of the street where men were slaughtering each other. No one paid much attention to him, so he hoped that they could lose him in their line of sight.

He didn't turn back to check, but at least he found Cecil limping towards the horse rather quickly.

"Garret . . ." Cecil said, still in pain. "Rowan, is my son . . ."

"I should've helped." Rowan interrupted. "I should've joined him. Together, we could've done something. I'm sorry, my lord."

Rowan wanted to believe that Garret was alive. He wanted to believe that when he turned around, his best friend would be there. It's not that he wasn't optimistic. He was just too realistic to think of the hopeful thing.

"We'll make them pay for what they did." Cecil said.

It looked like Cecil was used to the pain in his calf, so Rowan let him walk on his own. It still fell onto him to protect the pair, so he picked up a sword from the hand of a corpse laying in a pool of blood on the street.

Luckily for Rowan, there was not many people who were approaching them to murder them. He was forced to dodge a sword attack once by a Ryke soldier, but he managed to cut him down quickly.

The horse was no more than ten feet away when another arrow hit Cecil in the back. Rowan turned to the sound of agony and found an arrow lodged into the back of Cecil's shoulder. It must've been shot by a guard with a crossbow. Blood soaked through his clothes. If only they were wearing armor, their lives would've been easier to get away with.

"My lord!" Rowan said as Cecil got onto his knees.

"They're coming." Lord Dorian said, gritting his teeth.

"We must go." Rowan said. "They'll be here any second. The horse is right there."

"I won't make it, Rowan." Cecil revealed. "I think we both know that."

"Not if you think like that!" Rowan said, grabbing onto Cecil and helping him onwards. However, Cecil did not try to move, so he seemed so much heavier to Rowan.

Before they knew it, they finally reached the horse. Rowan used his sword to cut the bindings holding it to the pole.

Another cry of pain came from Cecil from behind Rowan, and when he turned around, he saw another arrow lodged into his back. Cecil once again got on his knees, spitting out blood and breathing heavily.

"We must hurry." Rowan announced. "We can make it. We'll get you healed, my lord, just hold on."

"Rowan . . ." Cecil started. "It's me they want, not you. I need you . . ." He coughed blood. "I need you to send a message for me."

"You can do it yourself." Rowan insisted. "I'll help you up."

"Damn it, Rowan!" Cecil barked. "Listen to me!"

Reluctantly, Rowan silenced and looked behind Cecil to see any immediate threats. He could not see the source of the arrows, however.

"You must survive, Rowan." Lord Dorian said. "Tell my family that I'm sorry I failed them. Tell my son, Calum, that he is the new lord of Dorian. Swear to me, Rowan."

"But-"

"Swear it, damn you!"

"I swear . . . My lord."

"Good." Cecil said, relieved. "The most important thing, however, is not that. Tell your father, and only your father . . . Tell him that the Observer must never be lost. Tell only him. Not my wife. Not my children. Only him. Do you understand me?"

"I don't understand." Rowan admitted.

"Nor are you expected to." Cecil assured. "In time . . . I suspect you will. Promise me, Rowan Randyll."

"I promise." Rowan obliged, still not understanding what was being asked of him.

"Now get on the horse." Cecil ordered. "And live to tell the tale."

Reluctantly, Rowan did as he was bid. The last thing he wanted at that moment was to get on the horse, but his lord was still alive, and he had to do what his lord commanded.

Rowan turned to Cecil once again from his horse, looking down with a scared look in his eyes.

"You have served me well, Rowan Randyll." Cecil smiled.

"There they are!" Yelled a voice, and it sounded very hostile.

"Do not spend your life trying to avenge me or my son." Cecil said. "Honor our memory. Serve Dorian and protect it."

"I will, my lord." Rowan swore, trying not to shed a tear in front of the man he had known his entire life.

"Forever through the storm." Cecil said.

"Forever through the storm." Rowan replied with closed eyes.

"Now go!" Cecil ordered, slapping the horse.

Rowan then rode away through the violent streets of Ryke, and when he turned his head back the first time, he saw Lord Cecil Dorian being slaughtered.

 **The Chronicles will continue**

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you for reading, and I hope you liked the chapter. Please leave a review/comment to let me know what you think.

Well, that took longer than expected. I didn't mean for it to be released two weeks after. This will probably happen quite a lot more, but this is due for my chapters being quite long and the fact that I get too tired to write sometimes.

The next chapter will no longer be a Rowan chapter. It will focus on another character, and the chapter after that will finally have actual characters from the film, Frozen.

Ciao.


	3. Calum - The Lord of Dorian

**I:3. Calum - The Lord of Dorian**

* * *

Calum hummed along with the notes of his violin as he played.

He stood outside on the balcony of his room which overlooked the courtyard of the multi-textured castle along with every other room. The moon shined down upon the large courtyard of Northfall, the castle of Dorian. The only souls in the courtyard were the Dorian guards dressed in the navy-blue that Dorian took as it's official color.

The castle was grand. It was unlike medieval castles which had stone walls, moats, and round towers at the corners. It was most like a grand mansion surrounded by a paved courtyard which was surrounded by a wall circling around the entire castle. The walls of the castle were built almost exclusively on wood with the rooftops being made of blue tiles.

The castle had amazing symmetry as the right and left of it looked nearly identical albeit reversed. It was around three stories tall, one hundred and fifty yards long and around one hundred yards wide. Countless rooms were located on the inside of it. Calum wasn't even sure if he had explored every single corner of the castle.

He wasn't paying attention to the magnificence of the castle as he played. All he could focus on was what note came next. There was no music sheet for him to read off of. It was all from pure memory.

"Doesn't that sound lovely?" A voice behind him said.

Calum, startled, took his bow away from his violin and turned around to look at the origin of the voice in his room. There, he saw the one he most suspected and expected to be sneaking up on him.

"By all means, keep playing." Lyra teased. "Did you make it up yourself?"

Lyra was Calum's twin sister, being a few minutes younger than him. The pair were on of the many children of Lord Cecil Dorian and Lady Eva Dorian, with the two no longer possessing the royal titles of King and Queen when they submitted under the authority of Michael Tyro.

The twins were more or less each other's best friend. Despite the two being of different genders, they shared so much in common. First and foremost, their appearance were similar. Not to say that Lyra looked like a boy or Calum looked like a girl. If Calum were to judge, Lyra looked like a very pretty girl. The two were not very similar facially. They both shared the same dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, although everyone in the Dorian family possessed blue eyes. Their British accent was also the same as those from Dorian.

Calum and Lyra were both around the same height, and since Calum himself was five feet and eight inches, Lyra must've been that height as well. The two were the same age, with both being fourteen years of age. Technically speaking, Calum considered him older than his sister, although both took the same responsibilities in the castle.

"You should have knocked." Calum suggested.

"I could have." Lyra started, sarcastically. "However, we all know how much I respect your privacy. Not only that, but you left your door unlocked. I couldn't resist."

He realized how Lyra's hair was unbraided and she was wearing her blue nightgown along with slippers, and only then did the time cross his mind. He was still dressed in his everyday, formal attire.

"Oh hell, what time is it?" Calum asked.

"A little late for you to be playing the violin outside, Calum." Lyra said.

"Was it I who woke you?"

"Not necessarily." Lyra admitted. "I couldn't sleep well these past few days, and I can't say your playing helped improve that."

"There is no reason to not have rest." Calum said as he entered his bedroom, putting his violin away. He didn't really believe that, however. He was smart enough to know when trouble could arise.

He couldn't say that he was having the nights of his lifetime, either. The past few days have been hard on him just as much if not more than they have been on Lyra. Not too long ago, their father and older brother have left to seal the end of the war, despite them returning to Dorian briefly after the fighting has been finished. Now, there was no word of either of them.

Calum stayed hopeful, however. He realized that it took a while for messages and travelers to go around all of Jana, and since Cecil and Garret left with a large amount of men, their pace would naturally be slower.

"When father and Garret come home, I'll spend my nights with closed eyes." Lyra promised. "Until then . . ."

"Mother wouldn't want you to worry." Calum informed as he closed the doors to the balcony outside his room.

"You obviously haven't paying attention, Calum." Lyra said. "Have you not noticed the bags under her eyes? We have her to tell us everything is going to be alright, but who does she have?"

"Everything _will_ be alright, Lyra." Calum asserted. "Father, Garret, and Rowan will be back before you know it. Garret promised us, remember?"

Calum did not think of Garret as a person who would let others down. Everyone looked up to Garret Dorian, and Calum thought he looked up to him most of all. If Garret made a promise, Calum believed it to be Garret's duty to fulfill it.

"I remember." Lyra answered. "I just . . . I worry is all. I don't want to lose them. Not like Talion."

"We did not lose Talion, Lyra." Calum corrected as he opened his wardrobe in search for his sleeping outfit. "He's alive, and fine. He was banished for a reason, remember. He caused us all so much trouble."

"That's not you talking." Lyra argued. "That's what father said. Do you honestly believed that Talion deserved disownment? He was a good person, brother. We all loved him."

Calum couldn't deny that he loved Talion. He even knew for a fact that his father loved Talion, although the two rarely ever got along. Despite his personal opinion of his brother, Calum was not blind to the fact that Talion was not a role model. He was wise enough to know whether or not a person is best kept around or kept away, and Talion fell upon the latter.

Perhaps, though, his views on Talion's passionate personality was somewhat biased. Calum and Talion were drastically different when it came to personality. Talion was arrogant, smart-witted, and violent which was a contrast to Calum's quite, intellectual, and cautious nature.

"Too many people gone." Lyra continued. "First Talion, then Ari, and then father and Garret. I can't remember the last time we were all together . . . Like a family should be. We were children, then. Eddric was nothing more than an infant."

"We'll be reunited, I'm sure." Calum said, taking his sleeping clothes over to his bed. He then sat down next to Lyra. "I promise, Lyra, we'll have dinners together like we used to soon enough."

"What, are you going to force father to let Talion back home?" Lyra joked. "And drag Ari away from the magic queen she serves."

"The magic queen's sister, to be exact." Calum corrected. "And yes, if I have to, I will do whatever I can to make us a family again. Deal?"

He then held out his hand for Lyra who smiled and shook it gladly.p

"Deal." Lyra confirmed.

"Now, with a promise like that, perhaps you can sleep better at night." Calum joked.

"We'll have to wait and see, won't we?" Lyra smirked, kissing Calum on the cheek.

"Lyra?" A child's voice said from the doorway.

Calum and Lyra turned to find the door to Calum's bedroom opened with Eddric standing there. He wore his sleepwear and was rubbing one eye with his fingers, obviously tired.

Despite being only a mere five years of age, Eddric reminded Calum so much of Talion, and he could tell that the rest of his family could see the resemblance. Both Talion and Eddric shared the same dark, black hair. Facially, Eddric was yet to gain the looks of the man Talion was, but Calum could remember their mother swearing that Eddric looked exactly like Talion did when he was a child. Obviously, neither Calum or Lyra could compare Eddric to Talion as a child.

"Eddie, what are you doing up?" Lyra said as the child walked into the room. His stubby, toddler legs wobbled as he walked. He looked as if he could fall asleep at any moment.

"You weren't there to put me to bed." Eddric said as Lyra went to receive him. She picked him up wth her arms and carried him to Calum's bed where he sat on her lap.

"Sorry, Eddie." Lyra apologized, kissing the toddler's hair. "I had to stop big brother here from playing the violin and keeping us all up."

Since both Eddric and Lyra shared a room, as Lady Eva did not think Eddric was mature enough to have his own room, Calum realized that the music must have been bothering Eddric just as much as it had been bothering Lyra. It was fortunate that Lyra had the comfort of telling Calum to stop as no one else would dare.

"Did I bother you that much?" Calum asked his little brother.

"Not really." Eddric admitted. "I was a little worried about where Lyra went is all."

Calum playfully ruffled Eddric's hair and the child giggled. However, the sound of men shouting outside impeded their enjoyment. Lyra, Eddric, and Calum all turned to face the doors which led to the outside of the room. Curiosity got the best of Calum. He got up to open the door, and then looked down from the outside balcony.

"Open the gates!" A guard shouted.

Calum saw his father's advisor and Rowan's father, Roche Randyll, standing outside in the courtyard. They wouldn't open the gates out of nowhere during the night unless it was a very special case. Calum reckoned that the case was that someone came home, or someone had a message.

"Calum?" Lyra asked as he walked past them.

"Just put Eddric to bed, Lyra." Calum said. "If you can, meet me in the courtyard."

"Father says that we shouldn't concern ourselves with adult business." Lyra argued as Calum walked out.

"Father isn't here." Calum called back. "And we have to grow up sooner or later."

* * *

Calum walked out of the castle doors right after his mother did, and she did not seem to notice him exit behind her. Lady Eva took her place next to Roche Randyll who was still standing in the same spot he was when Calum left him. Calum then stood next to his mother, observing what was happening.

"Was that you playing the violin earlier?" His mother asked.

"Of course, mother." Calum confessed.

"You should be in bed."

"So I'm told."

"Is it not a little late for us to receive a messenger?" Roche Randyll asked in a loud voice to a guard standing atop of the sophisticated wall surrounding the castle.

"It's not a messenger, sir." Replied the guard as the gates slowly swung open.

Calum couldn't exactly make out what or who it was entering through the gates. By squinting his eyes, he saw that it was a man on horseback. The closer he got, the more clear it was for Calum who it was. Calum's suspicions were confirmed when Roche spoke up.

"Rowan!" Mister Randyll exclaimed as he ran over to his son.

Calum wanted to jump where he stood in joy just because of the fact that Rowan had returned. Although he wasn't as close to him as Garret was, Calum saw Rowan as an older brother. He was definitely around longer than Talion ever was.

However, the reason Calum stayed his feet was because Rowan entering alone was unthought of. He always assumed he would be riding in with Lord Cecil and Garret, and if not Lord Cecil, then definitely Garret. Neither the lord nor his son were anyone to be found, and that meant things went sour. Very, very sour.

Calum and his mother both approached Rowan, following his father. Roche helped Rowan down from his horse while a guard took his horse away.

Rowan's condition was all but flawless. His auburn hair was messy, and the dirt in it was obvious. His face was very unclean with dirt and other smudges on it. At least he was recognizable. His clothes were weakly tattered, and the clothes over his knees were ripped. Calum couldn't help but notice that he was wearing elegant clothing, as if he did not change from the dinner he was supposed to attend.

Roche hugged his son, but Rowan was unfazed by it. He kept the same saddened expression that he put on as he entered through the gates.

"Good to have you back, Rowan." Roche said.

"Rowan?" Eva said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "My husband? My son? The men? Where are they?"

Rowan turned to Eva and gave her a saddened look with his eyes. He didn't even need to shake his head to get the message through. Calum knew what he meant, and he knew that his mother also dreaded the same thing.

"Can we talk inside?" Rowan requested, his voice weak. "It has not been a good past few days."

* * *

"To hell with us all if we say we weren't expecting it." Rowan cursed.

Rowan, Calum, Eva, and Roche all sat down around the central table in the Great Hall of Northpoint. It was more or less a rectangular throne-room-like hall with various paintings scattered around the walls. Rowan's face was cleaned up a bit, but his clothes remained the same. He had a glass of water and a plate of bread set out in front of him while everyone else had a small cup of tea.

Calum was surprised that Eva let him take part in the conversation, seeing as how she always sheltered him from such things.

"It first started at the table." Rowan started. "The sadist son of Wicken Ryke, Alec Ryke, controlled it all. He made Lord Dorian sign it, and so did Lord Tyro and Lord Saren. It was to bring the end of the war with all kingdoms submitting to Ryke."

"Then why would they harm us like this?" Eva asked, her eyes swelling red, almost tearing up.

"Alec wanted the rulers to be weak so that they would be loyal to Ryke." Rowan answered. "First, he killed Lord Tyro. He tried to kill Lord Dorian, Garret, and I, but we escaped. Everyone else at the table who wasn't with Ryke or Saren was slaughtered. We escaped the castle, but there was war in the streets. We tried to make it away, but the bastard son of Wicken Ryke chased after us. Lord Cecil got hurt, and Garret stayed behind to . . ."

Calum realized that Rowan was choking up, but there were yet to be tears coming from his eyes. He knew that it was hard for Rowan to recount the horrific events that night. Only by seeing Rowan's pain from the events did Calum realize he shed a tear since he knew what happened next.

"It's okay, Rowan." Eva said, sniffing and wiping a tear away from her cheek. "Take your time."

"Garret . . ." Rowan continued. "The bastard beat him and threw him into a building on fire."

"Oh my god . . ." Eva muttered as she buried her face in her hands.

"He is avenged, my lady." Rowan informed. "I stuck a spear through the bastard's neck."

"One death cannot repay for this." Calum said.

Although others perceived him as one, Calum was not a child. He was quite mature for his age, and the war he recently iced through did not make him any more innocent. The countless hours he spent studying contributed to his nature. He would not do what Eddric or even Lyra would do, which is pretend nothing bad has happened.

He felt anger. Never in his life did he want to see blood any more than he did at that moment. Ryke and Saren have taken away his loved ones, and the death of one man could not even the odds they have been put in.

"And how did my husband . . . Fall." Eva asked, using fall for a lack of a better word.

"He took a few arrows." Rowan informed. "We reached the horse we would've taken to safety right before he took another arrow. It hurt for him to move. He ordered me to leave him, and I . . ."

"It's not your fault, Rowan." Roche assured. "There was nothing you could've done."

"I could've thrown his body on top of the horse and rode off while he kicked and wept!" Rowan exclaimed. "But he insisted to die like a bloody idiot."

"Careful, boy." Roche warned in a harsh tone. "I understand the feeling of remorse just as much as the next person, but this is your lord we're talking about."

"He _was_ the lord." Eva muttered.

"I hate using that word!" Lyra complained as she entered the Grand Hall from a swung-open side door. She wore the same blue nightgown Calum previously saw her in, but she was without Eddric, meaning she put him to sleep before coming downstairs.

"You should be in bed, my lady." Roche reminded.

" _My lord. My lady._ " Lyra mocked. "I remember the days when father was known as _King_ Cecil Dorian and mother _Queen_ and I _Princess._ First, we give up our royal titles, and then what? Father and Garret are dead!"

"Were you listening in on the conversation the entire time?" Calum asked. Although, he didn't act surprised. He and Lyra have done mischievous things such as that countless times in their lives.

"That doesn't matter." Lyra dodged. "King Tyro is dead. Ryke and Saren cannot tell us what to do."

"That's where I'm afraid you're wrong, Lyra." Rowan said. "Your father has signed something under Alec Ryke, and so Dorian has Ryke as their Warden kingdom."

"We get out of a king's thumb only to be put in another's." Calum said to himself, however it was quite loud so everyone could hear it. In his mind, he actually wanted people to hear him.

"Mother, we can't stay in subordination any longer." Lyra pleaded.

"What do you think we can do, Lyra?" Calum asked, raising his voice. He didn't mean to show anger in it, but that was apparently what came out. "A good number of the few men we had died with father and Garret. If you would have us march on against Ryke to our deaths if you were lord, then go right ahead. But you're not the lord, and we're not doing that."

Calum understood the role he had to take that day. He was to be the new lord of Dorian. The ancient rules of Jana stated that the children of the ruler are put as priority rulers when the death of the ruler comes. The spouse may only take over if he or she have failed to produce any heirs.

Cecil was dead. Eva was not eligible. Talion had lost legitimacy. Ari was off, afar from home across the sea. Calum was their only option at that moment, and although people were yet to break his role to him, he was already mentally preparing himself to be what he was never born to be.

"Calum, please respect your sister." Eva ordered.

He didn't realize how hurt Lyra looked. His statement made her eyes looked on to her feet. She either couldn't or wouldn't look at her twin. Either way, he felt bad. However, Calum meant what he said. They could not make actions based on passion. The only way that they could live through the tyranny of Ryke is if Dorian made smart choices.

"He is right, my lady." Roche said to Eva. "There is nothing we can do against Ryke. All we can hope for is the survival of Dorian. An I believe . . . That is up for the lord to ensure that."

Rowan, Roche, Eva, and even Lyra turned their heads to look at Calum. They looked at him with expectant eyes. He didn't know what they would expect a fifteen year old boy to do to protect their kingdom.

Roche started again. "You, Calum Dorian, fourth-born child of Dorian, are the new lord of Northpoint, and ruler of Dorian."

 **The Chronicles Will Continue**

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you for reading, and I hope you liked the chapter. Please leave a review/comment to let me know what you think.

I apologize if the story is not immediately interesting as I'm trying to introduce and establish the major characters early on in the story. Don't worry as there will be conflict soon. The first episode, however, will not focus on action, but rather political plight. The later episodes will include a lot of action.

Ciao.


	4. Ari - Away From Home

**Ari - Away From Home**

* * *

It wasn't Ari's idea to find herself so far away from the comforts of Arendelle. Anna pestered her to go, and of course, Ari couldn't refuse the lady of whom she served under. However, she reckoned that Anna wouldn't go if Anna had no other choice. It must've been the Queen who insisted on Anna being removed from Arendelle.

Ari knew well the reason for Elsa sending them away. Officially, they were sent to the Southern Isles due to the coronation of their new king, of whose name Ari had completely forgotten. She would've been fine with calling the so-called monarch King Westerguard. However, that was not the true reason for their sending away, and Ari knew the reason all too well.

They called themselves the "Fires of Peace." The past year was not too kind for Elsa and her rulership. The organization of rebels started off small, with Elsa not being concerned at all for their presence. However, as months went by, they became more and more rowdy until they were finally deserving of Elsa's attention. That was exactly what they wanted, if Ari said so herself. She was not blind to the fact that the terror they laid on Arendelle was even greater than before.

The past month was not at all a happy one for Arendelle. Even though Ari was not nearly as affected by it as much as Anna or Elsa, it still pained her personally. The event was the topping on the cake that was the war Ari's family were involved in.

It has been quite a while since she had received any information or even updates on the status of the war. She reckoned that it was not any of Arendelle's business to know of.

Due to all that was happening, Elsa finally sent Anna away, and as a result, so was Ari.

"Remember, Ari, we're not at home." Anna informed Ari as they walked off of the ship which brought them from Arendelle to the Southern Isles.

"Of course, my lady." Ari responded. In her hands, she carried a decently sized bag, embroidered to show that it belonged to royalty. Luckily for Ari, it wasn't too heavy, so she was able to lift it just fine.

Carrying such objects was what was expected of a handmaiden to do, and even though Anna revered her handmaidens and treated them like family, they still had to do actual labor once in a while. Ari, luckily, had an escort, one of the men who accompanied them on the ship, carry her own bags, so there was nothing to stress over in that regard.

They have arrived in the Southern Isles around midday, so it was the perfect time of arrival. They had just enough time to get settled in, introduced to a few people, and then rest. Unlike the other dignitaries who were arriving for the coronation, Anna, her handmaidens, and her escort would be staying in the castle, as Elsa had pleaded for an extended stay. Unsurprisingly, they had accepted, no doubt because of the fact that they owe Arendelle a great debt.

Ari had been a handmaiden to Anna for only a little over a year, so she was not there to witness the events that transpired two years prior when Prince Hans of the Southern Isles attempted a coup to become the ruler of Arendelle. It was an infamous part of Arendelle history. Obliging to Arendelle's demands was just The Southern Isles' way of apologizing.

"This place . . ." Anna started. "It . . . It _feels_ different than Arendelle, doesn't it?"

Ari took a scan of the buildings from the harbor. Sure enough, there was a difference in atmosphere. The buildings were not as detailed compared to Arendelle buildings, but they were definitely larger and looked sturdier. To Ari, Arendelle was built to be aesthetically pleasing. The Southern Isles looked more practical when it came to building design.

It made Ari wonder how countries which are so close grew so different. It somewhat reminded her of Jana. Each of the kingdoms had different values and goals, but they were located on the same small landmass. The only difference each kingdom naturally would have is the weather.

Being from Dorian, Ari was used to cold weather. However, being in Arendelle and the Southern Isles was a nice change in climate. She much preferred the warm, sunny weather to the cold and snow any time. She would never say that in front of Elsa's face, though.

"It's a nice place, I'll admit." Anna said with a smile. "I wouldn't mind staying here for a few days."

"I'm afraid it's a little longer than a few days, my lady." Ari said.

"Ari, no need to be formal right now." Anna ordered. "Would it kill you to call me Anna?"

"No, my - Anna." Ari corrected.

"That's better." Anna smiled. "Now, before we go onto the castle, I guess we better find Emma."

Ari remembered the scene quite well. It happened not too long ago, and it was still fresh in her mind. Emma, Anna's other handmaiden and Ari's best friend, was shaking with excitement. Ari always listened whenever Emma said she wanted to visit beautiful places such as the Southern Isles. When Elsa would make her wish come true, Emma was overjoyed.

Ari was ripping her hair out listening to her friend's excitement. She always thought that Emma would quiet down about visiting if she ever got the chance, but instead, the exact opposite happened.

When they finally arrived after a long sail, Emma rushed off just as soon as the plank was put down. That was about five minutes ago for Ari.

"Oh, she'll be back." Anna assured. "I'll let her sight-see. She earned it."

"Anna! Ari!" Emma's voice called from nearby. Both Anna and Ari darted their heads to see Emma almost tripping over her dress as she approached the two in a half-run-half-walk. Ari half expected Emma to be holding a souvenir, whether it be basic or unique.

"Speak of the devil." Ari muttered. She then spoke more loudly so that Emma would hear. "Perhaps next time you could wait before leaving us in the dust."

"I'm sorry, Ari." Emma apologized, a grin still on her face.

Emma spoke with the same accent Anna had, but it was an accent Ari did not possess. She always spoke with the same British accent spoken across all of Jana, and despite being around Anna and Emma for quite a long time as well as grow into the customs of foreign lands, the accent would not wash away. However, if it wasn't for the accent, she would have been completely blended into Arendelle. She had to have at least one reminder of home.

The accent never bothered anybody, at least. No one ever found it odd on Ari, and if it didn't hurt anyone, then there was no point in doing away with it. If Ari was being honest, she believed that the accent she had sounded better than that of Anna's and the people of Arendelle. She would never say that to anyone's face, however.

"Oh, it's quite alright, Emma." Ari sarcastically assured. "I just love doing your work when you're on vacation."

Anna giggled. "It's really alright, Emma. But, uh, a heads up next time would be much appreciated."

"If we're being fair," Ari started, "I'm pretty sure she got it from you."

"Yes, I'm such a bad influence." Anna said. "But you work for me, so it's your job to deal with it."

"I like to think it's voluntary work." Emma admitted.

"Then would you kindly volunteer to pick up your bags and take them to the castle." Ari suggested. "They're still on the ship, and I don't believe our escorts would want to trouble themselves further with us."

"It's their job provide for our needs." Emma pointed out. "I'll see if there's a willing soul."

Ari rolled her eyes and Anna watched Emma as she stepped onto the ship.

"We best get to the castle, Anna." Ari said. "We shan't delay any further, and I expect that the Westerguards have prepared well for our arrival."

"Well, I could use a bite." Anna admitted. "It doesn't feel right to just leave Emma to catch up."

"Trust me, she'll spend as much time as it takes to convince one of our men to carry her bags for her." Ari said. "And I'd expect she'd appreciate it if we allowed her more time to take in the city. You still need to keep up appearances, Anna."

"Yeah, yeah . . ." Anna said. "You're my handmaiden as well as my advisor, huh?"

Ari's back tingled. She was scared that she was out of line. Anna scarcely scolded anyone, much less her closest friends and handmaidens. However, there were a small number of incidents when Anna was not too satisfactory with Ari, and each time Ari was scared that she would be relieved of service.

"I'm sorry, my lady." Ari apologized. She did not want to sound too casual if she had displeased Anna.

"No apology needed, Ari." Anna assured. "I just need you to remember your role. If I needed advice, I'd have asked for it."

Ari couldn't help but notice how much colder Anna had become. She was still joyful and optimistic as she was when Ari first came under her service, however, ever since Anna's husband disappeared, she hasn't been the same. How could Ari expect her to be?

Still, if Anna could return to being the woman Ari once enjoyed being around, all would have been swell. Although, she understand perfectly why Anna found less joy in everything. Ari wondered what it would take for Anna to alienate her benevolent nature.

"Of course, my lady." Ari acknowledged.

"Oh, chin up." Anna said with a smile. "You made good points, and they're valid enough for me to believe you. Come on, let's get to the castle before your arms sore."

Luckily for Ari, by the time they reached the castle, her arms were perfectly fine. Sure, she wouldn't mind a small break, but none was needed.

The castle itself was the grandest Ari has seen with her own two eyes. That was saying a lot seeing as how she lived in Northpoint in Dorian as well as the Arendelle Castle. The castle was easily twice as large as Arendelle's castle, and that was observed through the front view. It could have easily been observed three or four times as large.

Unlike Northpoint, the castle was decorative, much like Arendelle's. It's outer walls were wooden, and the window frames were red. Painted designs littered the castle everywhere. The towers and buildings connected to it had pointed roofs. It was more like a glorified mansion than a castle. What it lacked in practicality, it made up for in design.

There was no walls surrounding it for defense, but there was a moat. No doubt because the architects did not want to take away from the beauty of the castle. Ari couldn't complain. What she saw dropped her jaw.

"Astonishing." Ari muttered. "Truly."

"Wow." Anna said. "And to think Hans came from this place."

Ari has heard stories surrounding the infamous Hans Westerguard. She had yet to learn whatever happened to him when he was sent back to his home. Although Hans has done nothing ill to Ari, she still hoped that he served a punishment fitting for his crimes.

"I've never seen such beauty." Emma said from behind. Ari seemingly underestimated her friend. Either Emma was quick to convince someone to carry her bags, or carrying did not bother her at all. Ari soon found that Emma did not have her bands with her, meaning the former.

As Emma and Anna stared up at the magnificence of the castle, Ari shifted her attention towards the bridge connecting the land the castle sat on with the rest of the city. Standing at the end of it were two guards on duty. There did not seem to be much security in the courtyard which surrounded the entire castle. Ari thought Westerguards were either incredibly confident or incredibly arrogant.

"They're expecting us, right?" Ari asked.

"Some welcoming party." Ari heard Anna say. "Well, you'd think they would've made our arrival more of an event?

Ari and Emma followed Anna as they approached the guards standing guard on the bridge. It was time for them to get professional for the sake of making Anna look good in front of others. However, although it was not Ari's place to say, it didn't seem that Anna was being professional herself. The way she carried herself along with the way her arms moved as she walked came off as too casual for Ari. She just hoped that no one else would mind.

"Halt." Lazily said by the guard on the right. He obviously did not care too much about guarding the bridge. "State your business."

"We're here for the coronation of the new King Westerguard." Anna informed.

"The coronation is not for a few days." Said the guard on the left.

"To which I am fully aware of." Anna replied. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Princess Anna of Arendelle, representing my sister, Queen Elsa of Arendelle. My sister has requested of the royal family to allow me, my handmaidens, and my escorts to have an extended stay here in the Southern Isles."

"I wasn't informed of any stay." The guard on the left said.

"May I at least talk to the soon-to-be-King?" Anna asked. "If he's not busy."

The two guards looked at each other, no doubt contemplating what to do. Ari couldn't blame them for thinking of the situation as out of the ordinary. However, there was nothing about Anna which would be considered untrustworthy. There was no reason for them to not take her word.

Ari wanted to speak up in order for them to quicken their decision, however, as Anna previously warned, her mouth was best kept close. She shouldn't speak unless spoken to. It was not a rude order. It was just the expectation of a handmaiden.

"Fine." The right guard said. "We'll let you pass, but my fellow guard here must accompany you. I'm afraid we must insist on that."

"It's no trouble." Anna assured. "I'm used to always have an eye on me."

Ari didn't expect the guards to understand what that meant, but at least she was able to. Elsa had become paranoid in their time of distress, and that meant having a guard outside of every single door Anna was behind. Hopefully, in the Southern Isles, they would have freedom once again.

The guard didn't lead them anywhere they were unsuspecting. He brought them to the large double doors which served as the entrance to the castle, and the two guards standing outside of the doors opened them for the girls and their escort. They knew that the men who came with them did not need instructions from Anna to do duties which were expected of them.

When the doors opened, Ari found herself in the grandest throne room she had ever seen in her life. It was a large, open room, easily fifty yards wide and around seventy yards in length. It was a wonder how they could still fit other rooms which would make up the castle. Glorious chandeliers hung from the ceiling. The floor was shiny and wooden, with a large red rug creating a path from the doors to the throne which was located in the very opposite of the room from the large doors, as most thrones were located. Smaller, single doors were scattered everywhere in the room, no doubt leading to the rest of the castle. Beautiful banners hung from the walls, being the only decorations. Guards were stationed at the corners of the room.

Pacing back and forth in front of the throne was a man clothed in white, but shiny gold decorated his white clothes. He stood out from the other men around him, who wore clothes which did not sport the wealthy look of the white and gold, but still had the same fancy clothing style. Ari counted four men in all. One of which stood right next to the throne with his hands behind his back. Two others were standing a few feet away from the throne.

Ari could hear what sounded like bickering, but that immediately stopped when the white and gold man looked over at Anna.

"We have guests!" He said, but Ari had a feeling he didn't say that to just point out the obvious.

The guard had Anna, Ari, and Emma follow him closer to the throne and the men.

"Your majesty," the guard started.

"Not yet, I'm afraid." The man replied. "Until my coronation, it is not right for me to be referred to as a king."

"My apologies, my lord." The man corrected.

"I'll take it you're the heir to the Southern Isles." Anna said.

"Aye." The man said, taking his steps towards Anna. He then held out his hand. "I'm Anders Westerguard, Prince Regent of the Southern Isles, eldest son of my father, the old King Westerguard."

To Ari, Anders was quite a handsome man. He had styled, auburn hair with sideburns, similar to how Anna described Hans as being. He also had a beard and mustache which connected with the sideburns, making him look older than he probably was. His eyes were a dark, mossy green. Judging by looks, Ari would put him in around his mid or late thirties.

"Regent?" Anna asked. "My sister was named Queen not too long after my parents' passing, and she never held the title of regent."

"We do things a little differently here, Princess." Anders informed. "Well, my coronation is in a few short days time, and only then will I be comfortable with taking the title of King."

"My lord," started the man standing next to the throne, "I do apologize for interrupting, but there is still business that must be dealt with. I'm sure the Princess and her companions have had a long journey, and rest would be advisable."

The man was definitely a lot older than Anders, perhaps in his fifties. Like Anders, his hair was styled in the same way, but it was fully grey with white streaks. He lacked facial hair, with distinctive features being a huge scar than ran across his forehead.

"Yes of course, Stephen." Anders agreed. "Oh, how rude of me. Princess, this is Stephen Smith, my father's advisor for years, and he will be mine."

Anders continued rambling on about Stephen and all of his accomplishments, and that's where Ari lost focus. However, she felt a presence right next to her soon enough, and the whisper of "my lady" was in her ear. She turned to find a boy standing right next to her.

He was vaguely Asian, with short, messy black hair. His face and body were rather skinny, and Ari wasn't sure whether that's because he was born that way or because he didn't get enough to eat. His clothes were not at all very elegant. He wore a dirty green vest over a dirty white undershirt. His blue pants were ripped at the knees and ripped as well. He had a small scar on his chin as well.

"Hello." Ari awkwardly said. "How may I help you?"

"It's you I have to help." He said. His accent was the same as the one Anna had. "Allow me to take your bags to your room."

"I'm afraid these are the Princess' bags. Or rather, the Princess' bad, singular." Ari corrected.

"Well, your room is right next to hers." The boy informed. "So I'm pretty sure it doesn't make a difference whose bag it is."

Ari overheard Anders introduce the two other men besides Stephen, and the name of the second one made Ari raise her eyebrows in shock.

"These is my younger brothers. This is Christian, the eldest of my younger brothers, and this is my youngest, Hans."

 **The Chronicles Will Continue**

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you for reading, and I hope you liked the chapter. Please leave a review/comment to let me know what you think.

Sorry for the month break. December was a busy month for me, and I couldn't find time to write. I planned on making this chapter longer and writing more, but I had to cut it short to keep up with my deadline.

Ciao.


	5. Another canceled project?

Another canceled project?

Man, I didn't really think it was going to come to this. Although I really wanted to write this story, I realized how bored I was of writing it. I can tell that if I'm bored, then others are bored of reading it. There is a very, very, very small amount of people who actually read it, so I wonder to myself why even bother? I've decided to put The Lost Crown Chronicles on a long hiatus much like Phoenix Fall due to my surprising disinterest and the disinterest of others, the long time it takes for every chapter to be put out, and it will take forever to complete.

I have, however, decided to try my hand at another story. I will pre-write the first few chapters so I'm not behind on anything. It will be another Frozen story, but more traditional as in it will heavily feature characters from Frozen interacting with OC's. I do not know if this project will be successful or be a failure. It really depends on how many read it.

Ciao.


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